The presentation will cover innovative material usage, human-centric design philosophy and integrating smart technology with aesthetic appeal.

What the audience will learn

• The anthropology of creativity
• The psychology of form
• The role of the artist / creative in society

LuxSense silicone leather is the first synthetic leather (PU, PVC or silicone) that competes with natural leather on performance and exceeds it on sustainability. A multi-layer composite, LuxSense is designed to unlock design creativity and can be used on existing processing equipment. Several technical challenges were overcome using fundamental science to understand the underlying mechanisms and create a comprehensive yet elegant solution via chemistry. Key to this are silicone-organic hybrid materials that combine the advantages of silicones (aesthetics, flame, stain, chemical and UV resistance, durability) with those of organics (outstanding abrasion resistance) in a cost-effective, sustainable (lower VOC, free of plasticizer, DMF and harmful solvents) system. As a result, LuxSense has become the world’s first silicone luxury leather approved and commercialized in automotive interiors. It meets automotive interior specifications, including car seating applications, and exhibits the unique features of 4S: sense of sight, smell, sensation and sustainability.

What the audience will learn

• LuxSense™ has become the world’s first silicone luxury leather approved and commercialized in automotive interiors
• It has aesthetics, flame&stain&chemical&UV resistance, durability, and sustainability (lower VOC, free of plasticizer, DMF, or harmful solvents)
• It exhibits the unique features of 4S: sense of sight, smell, sensation, and sustainability

This lecture will unveil and demystify design, highlighting its pluralistic and interconnected nature through examples from the automotive industry, product design, and architectural history. With 24 years of experience, the speaker will also explore the nuances of the profession and how its mindset has evolved over the years. Surprising conclusions will shed light on the often misunderstood field of Design, offering new perspectives and insights.

The author of The Electric Vehicle Revolution: Five Visionaries Leading the Charge will discuss how the Gears of Change offer new opportunities to reimagine interiors in transportation. Not since the first transportation revolution – from horses to horseless carriages – have designers had this blank a page. Boyer will pull from history and contemporary media to examine how the Gears - willingness to commit (company, customers, governments) must mesh with transforming supply networks (automotive OEMs, software providers, interior suppliers) and the ability to profit. All three must be aligned and mesh for change to occur.

The cockpit, like the automotive industry, is experiencing a transformative revamp as consumers find that HMI via display is not as intuitive or functional as anticipated. At Forvia, our focus is on harnessing the power of smart surfaces to redefine interior environments and ultimately provide experiences that matter to people. By integrating advanced surface technologies, we aim to create dynamic, intuitive spaces that adapt to users' needs in real time. Our approach combines innovative surface activation while honoring our commitment to sustainability, offering interior lighting, integrated HMI and thermal surfaces.

Semiconductors have been the key components of new age technology since the 1960s. The last decade contributed to significant acceleration to this area and the COVID pandemic added a new dimension in how these key components are being viewed as automotive industry felt the effects of chip shortages. This is only one of the driving factors for change in semiconductor strategy. With major automotive architecture changes like Software Defined Vehicle (SDV) which focuses on centralized super computers, the need for an increase in chip performance is unprecedented. Other factors that contribute to performance needs are autonomy of vehicles and user experience. The key technology attribute is advancements in AI which are compute hungry and the deployment of these networks on edge devices has become a critical challenge. The number of parameters trained in AI have exponential increased with Generative AI going upto 1 trillion for some networks. The trend is only going to continue, and the industry will have to come together to address these challenges collectively.

What the audience will learn

• Shift in vehicle architecture towards more centralized architectures
• Evolution in AI and how AI driven technology is playing a key role in vehicle autonomy
• Automotive industry is adapting to these technologies to provide customers the comfort, convenience, and safety as part of their designs

In this session, we will share our vision for the next generation of automotive seating comfort. We will discuss why we believe in such a technologically advanced future and how we solve unique challenges with concrete examples. Learn how comfort will evolve, our latest innovations in massage, vibration and well-being functions, how to enhance the driving experience, and how to apply these designs across all car ranges.

The presentation will showcase how IMSE (injection molded structural electronics) transforms automotive interiors. Explore how IMSE integrates materials, electronics, mechanics and lighting into a unified structure, enhancing design flexibility, performance and sustainability. This talk highlights TactoTek’s unique business model, which leverages strategic partnerships to scale and deploy these advanced solutions, driving innovation in automotive interiors with a focus on eco-friendly, integrated designs. Discover how IMSE is setting new standards for efficiency and sustainability in interior applications.

What the audience will learn

• Discover how TactoTek's IMSE® technology combines electronics, mechanics, and lighting into single-piece structures for seamless automotive interiors
• Learn how IMSE® enhances design flexibility, performance, and sustainability
• Explore TactoTek’s unique business model and strategic partnerships